Scottish Executive

Central Heating

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the letter from the Minister for Social Justice dated 22 February 2002 regarding Mrs Richardson of Bavelaw, Galashiels, whether it will reconsider its decision and award a retrospective grant under its central heating programme on the basis of the following exceptional circumstances: Mrs Richardson’s boiler was condemned in October 2001, requiring immediate replacement; she was not informed of her eligibility under the central heating programme; she did not become aware of the availability of 100% grants for central heating installation until two weeks after her heating had been installed, and any delay in installing the heating in order for the grant to be approved would have prevented Eaga Partnership (Scotland) from carrying out the work until March 2002 leaving her without heating from October 2001 to March 2002.

Hugh Henry: The central heating programme has been widely publicised. That is why more than 12,000 applications have been received over the last year from households in the private sector.

  The programme is targeted at households most at risk from the effects of cold and damp homes: those who lack any form of central heating. If the programme were to be extended to include those who have already installed central heating this would divert funds away from the most vulnerable. There are therefore no plans to offer retrospective grant and there are no plans to reconsider this position, either generally or in individual cases.

Enterprise

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the maritime development potential of the River Clyde.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive recognises that the Scottish economy needs a thriving ports industry. It is keen to work with the industry, on the Clyde and elsewhere, to achieve this within the framework set out in the policy paper Modern Ports: A UK Policy (Bib. number 9874), which was published by the UK Government, the Scottish Executive and the other devolved administrations in November 2000.

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the frequency limitation order in regard to the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry service from Gourock to Dunoon specifies the type of service to be provided.

Lewis Macdonald: When scheduled sailings on the Gourock to Dunoon route were restricted to one per hour in 1982, Scottish Office ministers announced that Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd would continue to provide a passenger and vehicle service.

Ferry Services

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the exact wording of the frequency limitation order placed on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry service from Gourock to Dunoon.

Lewis Macdonald: The restriction of Gourock to Dunoon services to one an hour was made by the Secretary of State for Scotland in a House of Commons Parliamentary Question on 12 February 1982, reference Volume 17/56, Column 480. The answer stated that -

  I announced on 12 October 1981 that a passenger service would continue to be provided by Caledonian MacBrayne between Gourock and Dunoon piers. I asked Caledonian MacBrayne to consider how best to provide such a service. In the light of its examination and following discussions with those concerned I now propose that Caledonian MacBrayne should continue to operate an hourly passenger and vehicle service between Gourock and Dunoon. Future subsidy for this service is now intended to be in respect only of carrying foot passengers.

Freight

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the freight facilities grant for the Rosyth to Zeebrugge ferry link, whether any conditions have been imposed on Superfast Ferries in respect of hiring (a) UK or (b) other EU-based labour; whether it will give details of any such conditions, and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Lewis Macdonald: The terms of the freight facilities grant payable to the Forth Ports plc in respect of the ferry facilities at Rosyth do not impose any conditions about the recruitment of seagoing staff by Superfast Ferries. As advised in my answer to question S1W-25260 on 7 May 2002, the recruitment of seagoing staff is a commercial matter for the company.

Fuel Poverty

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to pensioners living in fuel poverty who are permanently resident in a mobile home.

Hugh Henry: Fuel poverty is caused by a combination of low incomes, fuel prices and poor home energy efficiency. Those on low incomes are being helped by the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s reforms of the tax and benefit systems, particularly the Working Families Tax Credit and the Minimum Income Guarantee for pensioners. Competition in the provision of domestic fuel, and the activities of the Regulator, exert a downward pressure on fuel prices. In addition, some fuel companies offer fixed rate packages of gas or electricity for low-income households. Poor home energy efficiency is tackled through the Executive’s Warm Deal programme.

Merchant Shipping Act 1988

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what role and powers it has under section 26 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988.

Lewis Macdonald: The Merchant Shipping Act 1988 was repealed by the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. The Scottish Executive has no powers under the 1995 Act, which is reserved and the responsibility of the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions.

Planning

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve consultation in the planning process.

Hugh Henry: In November 2001 we published the consultation paper Getting Involved in Planning. This sought comments on a range of proposals to improve the effectiveness of existing arrangements for involving the public in the planning process. An independent analysis of the responses will be published in the summer.

  In his speech to Parliament on 30 May, outlining our legislative programme to April 2003, the First Minister indicated that we would be working to develop proposals for a White Paper on Planning to make public involvement more meaningful.

Rail Network

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why no work has begun on the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link and when work will begin on this line.

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give the power to Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT) to head up the Larkhall to Milngavie project in the light of the comments by Councillor David McLachan, Vice-Convener of SPT as reported in the Hamilton Advertiser of 16 May 2002, and how such transfer of power would be put into effect.

Lewis Macdonald: A joint funding package totalling £23 million was agreed last year between the Scottish Executive and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE). However, Railtrack’s announcement in December 2001 to withdraw its support from the Larkhall to Milngavie project has meant that progress has been more difficult.

  Since then, the Scottish Executive has been supporting SPTE, as the lead authority and funding partner for the project, to keep the project moving forward. There are a number of complex technical, legal and performance issues that are currently being considered. Discussions on these issues have involved all the key stakeholders, including the Strategic Rail Authority and the Office of the Rail Regulator. This dialogue is on-going and the outcome will determine a possible timetable for work on the rail link.

  The powers to construct the railway remain in force. In terms of their transfer, the amendment or repeal of the British Railways Order Confirmation Act 1994 and the British Railways (No.3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 involves private legislation. As such, it would be a matter for the promoter to initiate and not for the Scottish Executive.

Rail Network

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has had with relevant organisations to take forward the Larkhall to Milngavie rail extension.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with Railtrack, the Strategic Rail Authority and the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive on a wide range of rail issues, including the Larkhall to Milngavie link.

Rail Network

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link.

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects work to begin on the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link.

Lewis Macdonald: A joint funding package totalling £23 million was agreed last year between the Scottish Executive and Strathclyde Passenger Transport Executive (SPTE). However, Railtrack’s announcement in December 2001 to withdraw its support from the Larkhall to Milngavie project has meant that progress has been more difficult.

  Since then, the Scottish Executive has been supporting SPTE, as the lead authority and funding partner for the project, to keep the project moving forward. There are a number of complex technical, legal and performance issues that are currently being considered. Discussions on these issues have involved all the key stakeholders, including the Strategic Rail Authority and the Office of the Rail Regulator. This dialogue is on-going and the outcome will determine a possible timetable for work on the rail link.

  The powers to construct the railway remain in force. In terms of their transfer, the amendment or repeal of the British Railways Order Confirmation Act 1994 and the British Railways (No.3) Order Confirmation Act 1994 involves private legislation. As such, it would be a matter for the promoter to initiate and not for the Scottish Executive.

Road Accidents

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many personal injury accidents have occurred on the Milngavie to Strathblane stretch of the A81, detailing whether the accidents were slight, serious or fatal.

Lewis Macdonald: Data about injury road accidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive using the STATS 19 statistical report form. These returns cover only road accidents in which one or more people were injured: they do not cover damage only accidents.

  The table gives the numbers of road accidents which were identified in the STATS 19 returns as occurring on the stretch of the A81 between Milngavie (at its junction with the B8030 at Station Road) and Strathblane (at its junction with the A891), in the four years 1997 to 2000 inclusive. Each accident has been classified according to the severity of the most seriously injured casualty who was involved in it.

  It should be noted that the statistics given in the table are based upon the data which are held in the central statistical database and which were collected by the police at the time of the accident and subsequently reported to the Executive. They may differ from any figures which the local authority would provide now, because they do not take account of any subsequent changes or corrections that the local authority may have made to the statistical information, for use at local level, about the location of each accident, based upon its knowledge of the road and area concerned.

  Number of Injury Road Accidents that Occurred on the A81 Between Milngavie (at its Junction with the B8030 at Station Road) and Strathblane (at its Junction with the A891) - by Severity of Accident

  


Year 
  

Fatal 
  

Serious 
  

Slight 
  

Total 
  



1997 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  

2 
  



1998 
  

0 
  

4 
  

8 
  

12 
  



1999 
  

0 
  

4 
  

4 
  

8 
  



2000 
  

0 
  

2 
  

1 
  

3

Road Safety

Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it or the Scottish Road Safety Campaign has any plans for a publicity campaign on the use of mobile telephones by drivers whilst driving and whether it will make representations to the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions in support of change in the law on this matter.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues, including mobile phones and driving.

  The Scottish Executive shares with the UK Government responsibility for road safety publicity campaigns in Scotland. The Executive provides funds to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign for the production of key road safety education resources and publicity messages. The campaign has no current plans for a publicity campaign on the use of mobile phones by drivers whilst driving.

  The UK Government’s "Think!" campaign includes publicity aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of using mobile phones while driving.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much compensation it has paid in cash and real terms in each of the last five years in response to claims made in respect of deficient road maintenance, broken down by individual trunk road.

Lewis Macdonald: The information requested is not available on an individual route basis. The compensation paid in each of the last five years for which final outturn figures are available is shown on the table.

  


Year 
  

Actual
(£000) 
  

Real Terms*
(£000) 
  



1996-97 
  

257 
  

284 
  



1997-98 
  

227 
  

243 
  



1998-99 
  

200 
  

209 
  



1999-2000 
  

939 
  

956 
  



2000-01 
  

104 
  

104 
  



  Note:

  *At 2000-01 prices.

Roads

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in relation to the creation of a parallel link road for local traffic between Middlebank and Inchture to connect with the flyover under construction at the Inchture Junction on the A90.

Lewis Macdonald: Six expressions of support for the link road have been received.

Roads

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what account it took of the views expressed by its public inquiry reporter on the creation of a parallel link road for local traffic between Middlebank and Inchture to connect with the flyover at the Inchture Junction on the A90 when it took the decision not to proceed with the construction of the link road at the same time as the flyover is constructed.

Lewis Macdonald: In their decision letter following the Public Inquiry, Scottish ministers accepted the reporter’s recommendation to give early consideration to funding the option of extending the link road through to Inchture Interchange. Due to higher priorities on the A90 and elsewhere on the trunk road network it has, to date, not proved possible to accommodate the link road in the current programme.

Roads

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of constructing a parallel link road between Middlebank and Inchture with the flyover under construction at the Inchture Junction of the A90 will be and whether the cost will be higher than the cost would be if the link road were constructed at the same time as the flyover is constructed.

Lewis Macdonald: This situation did not arise as the additional statutory road and compulsory purchase orders required for a link road to Inchture are not in place.

School Meals

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is being provided to support breakfast club initiatives; what cost-benefit analysis has been made of the initiatives; who carried out any such analysis, and what the outcome was.

Ms Margaret Curran: We launched a breakfast services grant of £250,000 in November 2001. However, before issuing funding guidelines, we are conducting a review of breakfast services to establish details on numbers of places and providers, where appropriate demand lies and best use of the funds to support the service. The review is being led by Health Education Board for Scotland and will aim to complete during summer 2002.

  In her answer to S1O-4973 on 28 March 2002, Cathy Jamieson indicated other ways that the Executive is supporting the development of breakfast clubs.

Street Lighting

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated annual energy cost is of street lighting.

Lewis Macdonald: The estimated annual energy cost of street lighting on trunk roads is £1.7 million. Lighting costs for local roads are a matter for local roads authorities.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Visits

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Presiding Officer what lessons the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) can best learn from the Parliament’s recent visit to Aberdeen and whether it will detail any consultation which will be held on this matter.

Sir David Steel: The Corporate Body was responsible for the resources used by the Parliament in supporting the visit to Aberdeen and it will wish to review how the exercise was managed and financed. I anticipate that this will be discussed by the SPCB in September of this year, thus any lessons learned will be considered at that time.

  Consultations on this matter will involve various officials of Aberdeen University, Aberdeen City Council and the Parliament.